The present invention relates to reciprocating engines.
More particularly it relates to reciprocating engines in which a reciprocating movement of the piston is performed under the action of a magnet cooperation between magnet means of the cylinder and the piston.
Reciprocating engines of the above mentioned general type are known in the art. In the known reciprocating engines an electromagnet and a permanent magnet are utilized. By using the permanent magnet and the electromagnet, the maximum power is only achieved when they are matched in strength. When an electromagnet becomes weaker or stronger than the permanent magnet, the attraction and repulsion are not as efficient. Some of the solutions in the reciprocating engines are disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,436,425; 3,105,162; 4,523,114; 5,036,930; 5,219,034; 4,317,058; 5,592,036; and the European patent document EP 0596717. It is believed that the existing reciprocating engines of this type can be further improved.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a reciprocating engine which is a further improvement of the existing engines.
In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparent hereinafter, one feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in a reciprocating engine which has at least one cylinder forming an inner chamber; at least one piston reciprocatingly movable in said inner chamber of said at least one cylinder; means for converting a reciprocating movement of said piston to move an outside object; means for reciprocatingly moving said at least one piston in said at least one cylinder, said reciprocatingly moving means including electromagnet means with at least one electromagnet connected with said cylinder and at least another electromagnet connected with said piston, so that when a polarity of said magnet means is changed, a magnetic interaction of said electromagnets with one another causes said reciprocating movement of said piston.
When the reciprocating engine is designed in accordance with the present invention the electromagnets of the cylinder and the piston are evenly matched in polarity and strength to apply a reciprocating force by reversing polarities to successively attract and repel the piston in the cylinder, which piston is connected to a crankshaft to produce a rotary power.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the piston and the cylinder each have one electromagnet and the polarities are switched so that the electromagnet of the cylinder repels and then attracts the electromagnet of the piston.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention the cylinder has two electromagnets located at opposite ends and the piston has also two electromagnets located at opposite sides, so that one electromagnet of the cylinder repels one electromagnet of the piston while the other electromagnet of the cylinder attracts the other electromagnet of the piston and vice versa.
In accordance with still a further embodiment of the present invention the cylinder can have two electromagnets which are located opposite to one another, while the piston has only one electromagnet. The reciprocating movement of the piston is achieved by repelling the electromagnet of the piston with one electromagnet of the cylinder and attracting the electromagnet of the piston with the other electromagnet of the cylinder, and vice versa.
In accordance with still a further feature of the present invention each cylinder can have two pistons with two electromagnets, connected with one another for joint reciprocating movement.
In accordance with still a further feature of the present invention two cylinders can be provided with electromagnets, and two pistons provided with electromagnets can be connected with one another so that they jointly reciprocate in the two cylinders. Therefore if the magnetic system of one of the cylinders fails, the magnetic system of the other cylinder causes reciprocation of both pistons in both cylinders.
In accordance with still a further feature of the present invention, air which is displaced under the piston moving in a predetermined direction is relieved to flow outside and to be used for various purposes, for example for cooling of the engine.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.